As special counsel Robert Mueller builds his case, relatives of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn are among those pressing the president to use his unique legal power and ‘put these defendants out of their misery.’

Theresa May’s 6 promises to Northern Ireland

LONDON — Theresa May will today publish a list of commitments to Northern Ireland designed to assuage fears the U.K. government might negotiate away its status at a later stage of Brexit talks, according to a draft copy seen by POLITICO’s London Playbook.

The European Commission recommended to the European Council in the early hours of Friday morning that “sufficient progress” has been made in Brexit talks to allow negotiations to move on to Phase 2, which will cover trade and the U.K.’s future relationship with the EU. The leaders of the remaining 27 countries will meet next week to vote on the deal.

The U.K. prime minister’s public statement will make six promises to the people of Northern Ireland and be signed by the prime minister herself. They are:

1. A promise to “uphold and support Northern Ireland’s status as an integral part of the United Kingdom.”

2. A promise to “fully protect and maintain” Northern Ireland’s position within the single market of the United Kingdom.

3. A pledge there will be no new borders within the U.K., and no hard border across the island of Ireland.

4. The fourth spells out in black and white that “the whole of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, will leave the EU customs union and the EU single market.”

5. A pledge to uphold the “commitments and safeguards” set out in the Belfast Agreement regarding North-South co-operation.

6. The sixth and final promise says no part of the U.K., including Northern Ireland, will remain subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Anthony Chambers

Absolutely perfect I would say. At least we can now stop discussing the UK being in the single market and customs union. It’s written in black and white now and agreed by everyone.

Posted on 12/8/17 | 10:25 AM CET

kermelen

@ Jack Boot

“I have no idea how she managed to get the EU to swallow that pill !”

It was not one but six different pills, some not recommended with the others.

The EU just receive the prescription in writing but I have no doubt they will require more than explanations before they’ll swallow it.

The question now is how hard Brexiteers will take it. Your unexpected support to the PM seems auspicious. This alone shows the depth of the bluff.

Posted on 12/8/17 | 10:49 AM CET

tpk

This is quite clever. It says what will happen, but not how it will be enabled. If the press mainly sticks to these points and not so much to the agreed paper May will not have to explain the difficult bits. But basically it only postpones dealing with the actual problem and Irland might have to suffer in the end.

It would be cleaner if EU refused to go to phase two until UK made up its mind how to really solve the problem. But on the other hand due to this fudge we can talk about the transition and avoid the cliff. That should be worth it.

Posted on 12/8/17 | 11:08 AM CET

Jack Boot

@kermelen
“The question now is how hard Brexiteers will take it. Your unexpected support to the PM seems auspicious. This alone shows the depth of the bluff.”

Unexpected support? Hey, I’m a moderate ! 🙂
Told you before, I want a FAIR and balanced trade deal, but I’m not afraid of any cliff.
Push me over the cliff and I will grab your belt.

Posted on 12/8/17 | 11:39 AM CET

Jack Boot

I have been saying for months that the EU needs to allow the RoI to have its own trade deal with the UK. It now seems it has one ! 🙂 That scores me yet another one !

Posted on 12/8/17 | 11:52 AM CET

Paul N.

Is this without any caveat? Then I congratulate the DUP, NI and the RoI. But wait, it says promises and pledges. It is not a contract. Hmm…

Posted on 12/8/17 | 3:27 PM CET

Alan Baillie

Pledges 3 and 4 are mutually incompatible. For the moment, they have fudged the language so as to suggest that they can both be achieved together. All that has happened is that the ball has been kicked further away.

Posted on 12/8/17 | 7:43 PM CET

Marten de Wind

Well, that’s pretty simple Jack. EU politicians don’t really need to understand what this is all about. The only thing they need to do is translate any outcome in such a way that it makes them look good. Since journalists – at least in my country – have largely stopped asking difficult questions a long time ago, they will manage.

The real work here is done by diplomats. They don’t need to explain themselves. All they are supposed to do is arrange a deal that satisfies everybody. I’m pretty sure they will manage too.